hodges



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. F. H'ODGES.

ROTARY MOTOR.

310.271. 159. 7 E51 Pateniged Jan.30,1883.

\xfi fl as 5 55' a l 4307M N PETERS. PhulmLilMgmpher, Washingwn. QC,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 H. F. HODGES.

ROTARY MOTOR.

(No Model.)

No. 271,459. Patented Jan. 30,1883.

N. PETERS. Phol Lithogr=pMn waning o. a

Umren STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

HORACE F. HODGES, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROTARY MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 27 1,459, dated January 30, 1883.

Application filed May 26, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE F. HODGES, a citizen of the United States, residing at (Jhelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of lldassach i'lsetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Motors; and 1 do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements on that class of engines or motors in which the piston rotates on a fixed axis, which axis is a shaft connected with the work to be done withouttheinterventionofacrank. Itisreversible, and possessed ot'an autmnaticcut-off, by which its speed is governed. Itis duplex in its action, and can be used either as a high or low pressure engine and with or without condensers. In my engine or motor I avoid all dead-centers, either partial or complete, and the steam acts continuously upon a constant and invariable area of the rotary piston. It is also provided with a perfectly-balanced valve, the same being an oscillating tube having ports on opposite sides, which, when open, lead into a common chamber, as will be further described, reference being had to the accompanyingdraw ings, in which- Figure 1 represents an end elevation of my improved motor. Fig. 2 represents a sectional side elevation as seen from X in Fig. 1, the

bearing for the rotary axle being shown as removed. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section on the line A B, shown 'in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal longitudinal section on the line C 1), shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of the steam-chest on the line E F, shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents an end elevation of the mechanism for imparting an oscillating motion to the induction-valve to effect the cutoff. Fig. 7 representsa horizontal section through the cylindrical induction-port and tube-valve on the line G H, shown in Fig.1, showing .how I- employ the pressure of the steam to instantly close the valve at the point of cut-off. Fig. 8

is a diagram showing the method of determining the outline of the piston.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occhr on the different parts of the drawings.

aisthe cylinder, of equal thickness at nearly (No model.)

points. The sum of any two radii in a line with each other is equal to that of any other two radii in a similar position. In construct ing said piston c, I first draw acircle, 1,Fig. S, the diameter of which shall be equal to the diameter of the main cylinder less the greatest depth of the depression I wish in the piston c. I then divide said circle 1 intosix equal portions of sixty degrees each, and separate the points 22,33, 14, of said division into three pairs of two each. I next draw from one to another of the points in each pair an arc of a circle or ellipse, 5 5 5, preferably the former, the radius of which is such that its center or crown 6 shall be at a distance from the center of said piston 0 equal to the radius of the cylinder (I, thus completing one-half-one hundred and eighty degrees-of the periphery de sired. I then measure from contiguous points in each of the arcs already drawn, on a'line passing through the center of said piston, a distance equal to the diameter of the circle 1, which three resulting curves complete the periphery as desired'viz., one without abrupt curves, and which gives nearly the same motion to the gates E E as is given to a connecting-rod by a crank or eccentric.

c c are annular flanges of the same outer diameter as the bore of the cylinder a, bolted to the two opposite ends of the piston c, as shown in Fig. 4. Said'flanges are beveled on their outer circumference to fit against corresponding bevels on the insides ofthe packingrings 0 c, secured to the arms 0 c of the center pieces, 0 0 which in form'of hubs or sleeves surround and tit closely the shaft 1) for a portion of their lengths and project through the cylinder-heads a a. Stuffing-boxes a a a a serve to pack the joints between the hubs c c and the cylinder-heads a a and between the hubs c c and the main shaft 1), as shown in Fig. 4.

c c are annular plates or disks surrounding the length of its radii is different at different the shaft b and resting against the outer ends of'the hubsc c and are themeans, in connection with the screw-bolts a, a and their nuts, by which the bevel-rings c c are held in steam-tight connection with the beveled annular flanges or plates c. Said bolts a 0: also serve, in connection with corresponding nuts, to set up the packings otLthestuffing-boxes a and a, similarly arranged and constructedin each end of the shaft 1), as shown in Fig. 4. At thejunction ot' the outer edges of the annular flanges or plates 0 and beveled rings 0 and inner bore of the cylinder ais arranged an annular packing, a, in each end of the cylinder (1, the latter being enlarged in its bore to receive such packing as well as the packing-ring a which is held in place by suitable means, and by these means all lateral leakage at such junction is entirely obviated, and any wear on the difl'erent parts can be taken up at will. The cylinder-heads a a are secured steamtight to the ends of the cylinder to in the ordinary way.

y a is an overflow'pipe leading from the space between the piston-packings 0 c and the cylinder-head a in each end of the cylinder to the exhaust f for the purpose of conducting the surplus condensed water from said spaces to the exhaust.

From the piston c the shaft b extends outwardly in both ends sufficiently to be supported in the stationary bearings d d, attached to the frame d, as shown in the drawings. d d are vertical webs secured to or cast in one piece with the base or frame d, which webs have in their upper edges semicircular flanged saddle pieces d d,in which the cylinder a is firmly held and secured by suitable means.

On two opposite sides of the cylinder at are rectangular projections or extensions a a", through which are horizontal perforations a a, as shown in Fig. 3. The lower sides of said projections a a are fitted to rest on the top of the horizontal extensions 01* d" of the flanges d d, and help to secure the cylinder a in its place and to prevent its rotation when under pressure.

e e are sliding gates or valves, which are adapted to move in a horizontal direction forward and back within the rectangular perforations a a and between the anti-friction rolls 0 0, arranged on the top and bottom of said gates or valves 0 e, as shown in Fig. 3, said rollers e 0 being arranged in pairs and connected by suitable links or regulators, and upon which rollers the valves 6 e are properly balanced, so as to prevent a lateral strain on such valves and their outer connections. The gates or valves 0 e are provided at their sides with yielding packing-strips e e, pressed outward against the sides of the perforations a a and annular flanges c c by means of suitable springs, 0 e, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to prevent the steam from passing from one side of the gate to the other. The inner end of each gate or valve 0 rests against the outer periphery of the piston c, and the sides of said gates, with their packing-strips e 0, move between the sides of the perforations a a and between the annular plates or flanges c c, as shown.

To the outer ends of the projections a a are secured the steam-chestsff, through the center of which passes steam-tight the outer end of the gates or valves 6 e, which latter at this point terminate as rods 0' e, passing through stuffing-boxes ff on the outside of the steamchests ff, and are firmly secured, by means of adjustable check-nuts, as shown in Figs. 1, 3', and 4, to the cross-heads e 0 which latter are connected together by means of the rigid connecting-bare The weight of the cross-heads c e and the connecting-bar e is supported on the rods 0 0 attached to the upper ends of the cross-heads e 6 and adapted to slide within bearings in the upper part of the arches e e",

' secured to the flanges d d for that purpose.

6 is a cap-bar, which forms the caps for the hearings on the arches e e", and extends and is secured to the projection a on the cylinder a, as shown in Fig. 3, to prevent a lateral motion of the arches c 0 ff are the steam-chests, secured to the hollow projections a a, and shown in section in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.v fis the steamchest, Fig. 5, consisting of the tubular valve-well f, the steam-galleries ]"j", the reversc-cockf, the galleries f f, and the gatepassage with its stufling-box. Steam from the opposite inlets from the tubular valve-well enters a common chamber by the passages ff", and passes into either the upper or lower galleryf, according to the position of the reverse-cock, which is so constructed that when its position is such as to allow live steam to enter one of the galleries f" the exhaust-steam can pass from the other gallery f to the exhaustport by the passagefh The construction and arrangement as described have several advantages. It forms what in a reciprocating engine would be called clearance/ it being not the receptacle from which steam is admitted by valves to the cylinder, but a vestibule always open to said cylinder, and into which the steam enters after passing the valves, and through which the steam automatically passes as it is exhausted from the cylinder. Being closely connected to the cylinder, it is less exposed to condensation by radiation, and serves to equalize the temperature of the gate 0, to which gate it also serves the purpose of a guide, in connection with the cross-head e and sliding rods 6 The live steam in the steamchest, although alwayst'ree toenter the cylinder,

' is never free to enter the exhaust till, having turned the piston one-third of a revolution, it passes out of the exhaust-gallery of the opposite steam-chest, and then only such portion of it as has passed into the cylinder during the stroke. The steam remaining in the chest can be allowed to work through the succeeding stroke by expansion alone, no steam being admitted from the Valve. Upon the reverse-lever g,which is attached to the reverse-cock j",

being pushed ninety degrees to the right in Fig. l, the reverse-cock is turned correspondingly in such a manner that live steam from the passages-f is diverted from the upper passage f to the lower passage f, and the direction of the motion of the engine reversed, and when the'cockf is so turned the upper passage f is open to the exhaust f f By returning the lever g to its original position shown in- Fig. 1 the course of the live and exhaust steam is reversed, as is also the motion of the engine. The steam-passages f f communicate with the perforation c on the upper and under side of the valve or gate 0, as shown in Fig. 3, and from thence to the space between the piston c and the cylinder at adjoining, as shown in said Fig. 3, causing a r0- tation of the piston c in a direction according to the position of the cockf f is a hollow cylindrical balanced inductionvalve, (shown in detail in longitudinal section in Fig. 7,) communicating with passagesff by means of side perforations, f f in the sides of said valve f The valve-openings f are made somewhat wider than the openings f" at theirjunction with the valvefl, and permit a rotary motion of one-third of a revolution of the said 'alve f without closing the same. The bottom of the valve f is made with an inclineff resting on a correspondingly-inclined seatin the bottom of the steam-chest), so that any rotation of said valve f from its point of rest for one-half of its revolution causes a forward motion of said valve, sliding on the square portion of the shaft f toward the induction-pipef", which is resisted by the pressure of the steam in the valve.

his a disk attached to the valve-shaftf for the valve f which disk is provided with a radial slot, h. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.)

It is a pinion attached to one side of the eccentric-disk if, both of which are free to rotate together on the shaftf. ()n the eccentrio-disk h is a circular strap or ring, h, holding three pins or projections, one, a of which enters the slot h of the disk It, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. (5, and the twoothers, h h, extend in an opposite direction from the disk h and are placed one hundred and twenty degrees from the pin If and from each other. They are conical toward the pin h and cylindrical on the opposite side.

IL7 is a hub on the shaft h having radial sockets [L8, one hundred and twenty degrees apart, in which are inserted the radial spokes it h h, held toward the eccentric strap h by means of springs h, attached to the hub ]L7. The shaft h one on each side of the shaft 11-- is located in suitable bearings, h h and provided 011 its inner end with a bevel-gear, h, gearing into the bevel-gear I), attached to the main shaft 1), as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and by which a rotary motion is impartedfirom the main shaft 1) to the hubs It If.

b is a cam or eccentric on the main shaft I),

which connects to and operates a Hodges regulater, t.

On each reverse-lever g is a short arm, g, which is connected to a rod, g, the lower end of which is connected to a bell-crank, g, located in bearings 9 such bell-cranks g g being connected together by means of thefulcrum-barg, upon which are located two fulcra, g 9 which are caused to move laterally by the motion of the reverse-lever g and its connecting mechanism.

Us a regulator-link attached at l to the pressure-rod of the regulator land to the shafts l and l by the opposing cranks, l and i as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and connecting-links Z Z at a point, 1 on the end of the regulatorlever l. a

l l are fulcrum-rests on the under side of the bar I, and are the points occupied. by the fulcrag 9 respectively, according to the motion of the engine.

0n the shafts l l are geared arcs Z 1 which engage with the pinions h h and con trol the positions of the eccentrics h h.

70 7c are two plumber blocks secured to the frame (I for holding and supporting the various parts of the valve-gears in position.

The operation of my improved engine is as follows: Steam being admitted by a suitable valve simultaneously at induction-portsf f it passes through one of the cylindrical valves f f (one of which is open at all times when the motor is at rest) and on the let'tin Figs. 2,

3, and 4 through the passages f f of the steam-chest], over the reverse-cock f, along the steam-passagef", by the anti friction rollers c c, (which are shaped to allo\vit,) into the space above the gate or valve 0, and between the piston c and the cylinder a, where its pressure causes the piston c to revolve in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. As the piston c revolves, the gate 0 on the left in Fig. 3 retreats and then advances, following the varying radius of the piston 0, while the gate 6 on the opposite side approaches the center of the piston c, and then recedes at exactly the same rate as the varying radius of the piston 0 determines. As the effectual area ot'piston c acted upon by the steam is equal to the sum of the areas of those portions of both gates e 6 projecting within the inside of the cylinder a, it follows that as one gate 6 advances precisely at the same rate as the opposite gate retreats, this area is unvarying. As the piston c, and with it the shaft 1) and bevel-gear b, revolves, causing bevel-gears it? It, shafts h'" It hubs 117 h", and arms or spokes It 11. also to revolve in the course of their revolution, one of the spokes [t on the right of the motor engages with the cylindrical side of the pin it", and is, with the eccentric-ring It, of which it is a part,'the' pin it the slotted disks h, and valve f rotated and steam allowed to pass through the valve by its before-described course, to the reverse-cock f above the same, and along the lower passage f, into the space under gate 6,

,nre of the steam.

and between the cylinder a and piston 0, thus I by the passagef closed to the live steam, on

further rotating the latter in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3. As the spokes I19 on the left in Fig. 3 are rotated, the pin it with which they are in contact by reason of the eccentric on which said pin [L6 and eccentric h are revolved,recedes farther and farther from the center on which the hub 71/ and spokes h revolve, and is thus slid outwardly along the said spokes b until, when it hascompleted one-third of a revolution, said pin or projection It is no longer retained by the spoke It, said spoke passing beneath it, and as it impinges against the other pin h on its conical side the spoke h", which is held forward by the spring It, is pressed to one side and goes over said pin. During the revolution of the mechanism, as thus described, with the cylindrical valve f", the latter, by reason of its inclined seat-f has been pushed forward on the square section of the shaftf and against the press Now, therefore, the mechanism being released by the passage of the spoke 71. under the pin it, the steam forces the valvef backward and around to its original position, thus closing the valve. As it, with the pin h, resumes its position, said pin engages the next spoke h? of the hub h and is again released at the high point of the eccentric It, and this is repeated three times during each revolution of the shaft h and as the shaft h revolves at the satne rate as the piston c, this opening and closing of the valve f take place once for each steam-space on the piston c, and as this action is made to commence as the gate 0 commences to descend the incline on the pisston 0 toward its center on either side, respectively, it follows that the valves f open and close alternately on opposite sides of the motor. The position of the pins h h is invariably the same when at rest, as they are coniiected by the rings h It, pins 7L 1L5. and disks h It to the valves f f whose positions, when at rest, are at their lowest point on the inclined seat f; but the releasingpoint corresponds to the high point of the eccentrics It I, which in their normal positions are halfway from one pin h to the other; but as the motion of the motor through the eccentric b and the regulator idepresses the regulatorrod t" more or less, in proportion as the engine exceeds or falls short of the speed desired, it depresses more or less proportionately the point I on the regulator-link l, which link,resting at the point I on the fulcrum 1 causes the point 1 of said link to rise, which, by means of links I I and levers l 1 causes shafts l and l to revolve, together with the geared arcs l l" and pinions h hf, rotating the high point of the eccentrics [L3 If toward the resting-point ot' the pins h h, thus causing the release of said pins at an earlier part of the stroke than betore, and shortening the cutoff. The limit of this motion is one-third of a circle or the full length of the valve-stroke. As the piston c revolves, the steam entering the cylinder on one side of the motor is allowed to pass out the opposite side,into the exhaustf j where it may be advantageously condensed in appropriate condensers, thus adding to the efficacy of the motor, or led to a second piston on the sameshat't as the first, making a compound engine, or otherwise disposed of.

To reverse the motor the reverse-lever g is moved ninety degrees in its upper arc of rotation, which, by means ot'the reverse-cocks ff, diverts the course of the live steam .into the opposite passages/f as also that of the exhaust-steam, and brings fulcrum beneath regulator-link l at 1 moving fulcrum 9 clear of said link, whereupon the regulator t, on being depressed, causes a downward motion of point Z on link I, and thus causing the eccentrics h k to be inclined in the opposite directions. As the piston c revolves in an opposite direction the opposite pin, it, is engaged by the arm or spoke 71 and the other pin h, on account of its conical face exposed, passes under said spoke by reason of the yielding of the spring It. By arranging the valves f f to act for every alternate steam-space on piston 0 only, the steam remaining in the passages between the wilvesff and inner line of the cylinder (6 (which never is free to pass to the exhaust, as is the clearance in a reciprocating engine) acts on every alternate steam-chamber on the face of the piston 0 by expansion alone; or it can be still further employed by having each valvej' open but once for each revolution of the piston 0, when the live steam is used once to expanding steam twice, by this means forming a species of compound engine.

What I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and claim, is

1. In a rotary motor, a piston, c, the periphery of which is formed by, first, three symmetrical curves or arcs of a circle or ellipse, the ends of which rest upon a circle drawn from the center of said piston, said arcs covering sixty degrees of the arc of said circle and placed sixty degrees apart; and, second, three symmetrical curves formed by measurements of a distance equal to the diameter of circle 1 from contiguous points in each of said arcs through the center of said piston, as specified and shown.

2. In a rotary motor, the combination of piston 0, constructed according to the formula herein described, cylinder a, the reciprocating gates e e, the cross-heads 0, and connectingbars c 6 as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a rotary motor, the combination of piston 0, cylinder a,- the reciprocating gates e e, antifriction rollers e c, the cross-heads 6 e and connectingbars a t", as and for the purpose described.

4. In a rotary motor, the combination of piston 0, cylinder a, the reciprocating gates e e, anti-friction rollers e 0, cross-heads 0 e connecting-bars e c, sliding rods 0 0 and supportingarches e e, as and for the purpose described.

5. In a rotary motor, the combination of ICS cylinder a, piston c, constructed according to the formula herein described, reciprocating gates e e, and the steam-chests ff, arranged, constructed, and operating in a manner and for the purpose set forth. 4

6. In a rotary motor, the combination of cylinder a, piston c, constructed according to the formula herein described, reciprocating gates e e, steam-chests ff, and reverse-cocks f f as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a rotary engine, the steam-chestf, consisting of the tubular valve-wellf the galleries ff, the reverse-valve the galleries ff, the gate-passage, and the stufing-box f, arranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a rotary motor, the herein-described releasing mechanism, consisting of bevelgears b h j h, shafts h h hubs 7:? h radiating spokes b k springs h h", eccentrics h 71. eccentric-rings h 70 with pins 7L5 h",'sl0tted disks h h, and pinions h k connected by shaftsf f to val vesf f as and for the purpose set fortln 9. In a rotary motor, the herein-described automatic cut-oft mechanism, consisting of regulator i, pressure-rod 2', link I, fulcrum g connecting-links 1 l levers Z Z, shafts l i and geared arcs Z l in combination with eccentrics h if, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In combination with the cylinder at and rotary piston c, the steam-chestsff, the cylindrical inclined va1ve-seatsf f and the cylindrical valves J" having correspondingly-inclined ends, in combination with the releasing mechanism, as shown and described.'

11. In combination with cylinder a, piston c, and shaft I), the annular rings 0' c, the bevelrings 0 c, the center pieces, 0' c, with their l1ubs 0 '0", the stuffing-boxes a a the cylin- 'der-heads a a ressure-disks c c stuffin boxes a a, and screw-bolts a a, as set forth.

12. In a .rotary motor, the combination of cylinder (l, frame (I, webs d d, and flanged saddle-pieces d d, as described, and forthe purpose set forth.

13. In a rotary motor, the arrangement of valves so as to allow livc steam to enter the spaces on piston c alternately or less often, and making the steam remaining in the steamchest below the valve f work by expansion alone on the remaining steam-spaces of the piston, as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE F. Honcns.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, I HENRY CHADBOURN. 

